Gate.



GATE. APPLICATION FILED Nov.3 11111 5.

A. R. COOPER.

GATE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 3o, 1915.

1,1 99,964. Patented Oct. 3,'191'6.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. R. COOPER.

GATE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 3o, IIII5.

Patented om. 3,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Ens ca. wAsHlNsro/u ALBERT R. COOPER, OF NEAR AVON, ILLINOIS.

GATE.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oeu, 1916.

Application filed November 30, 1915. Serial No. 64,265.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT R. COOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing near Avon, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Gate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that general class of gates which swing in a substantially horizontal plane and which are operated by leversl so positioned that they may be actuated by a pedestrian, by a person in a buggy, automobile, or on horseback, or by one on a load of grain, hay, straw or the like.

The principal obj ect of the invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and to increase the eiiiciency and utility of gates of this character.

More specially stated, one of the most important objects of the invention is to provide a novel gate-operating knuckle.

A further object is to provide a novel latch and means for operating it simultaneously with the knuckle.

It is an object to provide levers either of which will actuate both the knuckle and the latch in harmony.

A still further object is to provide novel means for connecting the knuckle with the gate-body and with a vertically-swinging, lever-actuated bar.

It is another object to so construct the knuckle and the means last referred to, that the knuckle cannot strike a dead center; and in this connection it is an object to so construct the operating parts that once the gate is started into movement it will automatically move to either its closed or fully open position. Y

A special object is to provide gate operating mechanism which, should either of the main posts sag even to such degree as would render other gates of this type inoperative, will nevertheless cause the gate proper to operate in a perfect manner.

That the elements comprising the operating mechanism be durable, strong, simple of construction and operation, and economic of manufacture, is a prime requisite, and to provide such mechanism constitutes still another object.

Minor objects will presently appear. Some of these will 'be obvious and others specifically pointed out.

By way of example a gate constructed according to this invention is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective of a gate embodying my improvements, shown in closed position, a portion of the adjacent fence shown also; Fig. 2, a similar view, the gate shown by full lines as about one half open and by dotted lines as in fully opened position. This figure illustrates the movements of the operating levers, the vertically swinging bar, the link connected therewith, and

the knuckle; Fig. 3 is a top plan detail,

showing the elements as occupying the positions they do when the gate is fully opened; Fig. l, a similar View, the parts in the position they occupy when the gate'is at a median position; Fig. 5, an enlarged perspective view of the knuckle and fragments of the links to which it is hinged; Fig. 6, a top plan of the knuckle when the parts are in normal positions; Fig. 7, an elevation of the knuckle, seen asif from a point at the free end of the gate-body and parallel therewith, when the latter is closed; F igfS, a similar view, seen from the same view point, showing the knuckle as it appears when the gate-body is swung to a half opened position; and Fig. 9, a similar view, seen from the same view point, showing the knuckle as it appears when the gate-body is swung to a fully opened position.

Considering the drawings in detail, and referring to the elements and, where necessary, to the parts thereof, each by a distinguishing numeral, 2 designates a portion of a fence secured to a hinge-supporting post 3.

l indicates a latch-post, and 5, 5, fenceboards secured thereto.

6 indicates an arm and lever supporting post, arranged in a line at a right angle to the fence 2, 5.

7 indicates a bar-guiding post arranged in line with the postsA 3 and 6 and having secured thereto a guide-plate 7.

8 designates a gate-body hinged at 9 to the post 3.

Fulcrumed at 10 to the post 3 is an operating lever 11 carrying at its inner end an eye-bolt 12 which is engaged by a link 18, the other end of said link having an eye which engages an eye-bolt 14 secured to and CIK near the ree end of a vertically oscillatable bar 15 pivoted at its other end to a hinge 16 secured to the post 6.

17 designates a depresser or counterweight secured on the free end of said bar.

1S indicates an operating lever ulcrumed at 19 to the post 6 and carrying at its inner end an eye-bolt 20 which engages one end of a link 21, the oth'er end of which link en gages the eye-bolt 14. 'llo the outer end of each lever 11 and 18 is secured a pull-cord 22.

To an eye-bolt 23 fixed to the weight arm oi'the lever 11 is secured one end of an actuating chain 24 the midlength of which traverses a sheave 25 in a block 25 on the inner standard of the gate-body, the other end oi said chain engaging a clip 30 bolted at 31 to the outwardly bent end 26 of a latch 27 which slides longitudinally in keepers 28, 28 and which is free to rise at its outer end in the keeper 28 as indicated in Fig. 9.

29 is a hook engageable by said latch.

32 designates alatch-return spring, one of its ends engaging the eye of the bolt 31 and the other the eye of a bolt 33 which passes through an aperture in an outturned arm 35 of the keeper 28. 34 designates the securing nut on said bolt.

85 designates a gate-pushing and pulling arm secured to the Gate body 8 and provided near its outer end with an eye 36. 37, 37 designate braces therefor.

38 indicates an eye-bolt secured to the bar 15, (see Fig. 2), and 39 indicates an eyebolt engaging it. rlhe stem of the bolt 39 passes freely through an aperture in the bent end 40 of a shackle or link 41 the other end of which is bent to form an eye 42.

43 indicates a nut on the stem of the bolt 39. When the distant end of the link 41 is swung in an arc, as presently described, said link will rotate axially on said stem, and the elements and parts thereof numbered 38-48 inclusive constitute a universal joint. The interlocked eye-bolts 38 and 89 form a hinge.

44 designates a knuckle which together with the eyes 36 and 42 constitutes another universal joint. l shall describe said knuckle as it appears in its normal (or closed) position, (shown best in Fig. 6), seen as if from a point near the free end of the gate-body and parallel therewith. lt is formed of a rod the median portion or arm 45 of which is normally substantially horizontal and the. outer end portions of which extend substantially at right angles thereto, one, 46, downward and the other, 47, horizontally. These positions change yconstantly during the operation, however. A securing nut 48 engages the threaded end of the arm 46 and a nut 49 engages the arm 47.

The operation: Assume the parts to be in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1.

'lo open the gate the operator will draw upon either cord 22 to operate the connected lever 11 or 1S and thereby draw upward on the coupling-operating bar 15, which, in rising, will raise the end 40 of the shackle 41, the eye of which will raise and simultaneously pull upon the knuckle arm 46, the arm 47 of the knuckle rotating in the eye 36 of the arm 35. As the gate body continues to swing open the knuckle will continue this turning movement, and when said body has swung to its fully open position the knuckle will have turned com pletely over, or upside down. (These movements are shown clearly in Figs. 7, 8 and 9). This complete overturn is .true also of the shackle 41, as will be seen by a comparison of Figs. 8 and 6. However, the shackle not only turns endfor-end, as just stated, but it rotates on its axis.

lnasmuch as the levers 11 and 18 are both connected to the bar 15, each operates the other. Therefore, when either is drawn to the position shown in Fig. 2 the chain 24 will be operated to draw the latch 27 longitudinally out of the hook 29. As soon as the lever is freed the counterweight 17 will, by its gravity, return both levers to normal positions and the spring 32 will return the latch to its normal position.

To close the gate either actuating lever will be drawn upon as above described. rIhis will cause the knuckle-arm to tilt backward, and as the gate body 8 continues to swing, the knuckle-arm 47 will continue to rotate in the eye 36, pulling thereon during the iirst half oit' the closing movement, whereupon the momentum of the parts will cause the gate body 8 to close, the knuckle and shackle having turned completely over or upside down, and t-he latter turned end for end and spinning on its axis. When the latch strikes the inclined point of the hook 29 it will rise to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 10 and after having passed it will drop into locked engagement therewith. The gate-body, because ot the flexibility of the universal coupling 36, 39 and 42 and 44 cannot possibly stop on a dead-center. Should either post 3, 6 or 7 sag in any direction, or even though all should sag to such degree that the `ordinary gate would be rendered inoperative, it will not affect the successful operation of the one shown, the universal coupling above referred to accommodating itself to such contingencies. Also it matters not that either of said posts be rigidly set, for even if it be w'abbly the universal coupling still will operate eiiiciently.

lt has not been `deemed either expedient or necessary to encumber this specification and the accompanying drawings with descriptions and illustrations of modifications which are neither essential to nor form any part of the invention `considered in its broadest aspect, for it will be quite evident that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction without departing materially from the spirit and scope of the invention, viewed in its broadest aspect.

Therefore, without limiting myself to particularities except in those places where they are specifically noted, I claim as new the following, to-wit:

1. In a gate, a swinging gate-body, an arm secured thereto and having an eye, an operating-bar, an eye-bolt engaged with said bar, an eye-bolt the eye of which engages the eye of the one first recited, a link having an angularly arranged end provided with an eye through which the stem of the second eye-bolt passes, whereby said link may rotate, and a rotatory knuckle connecting said arm and the other end of said link.

2. In a gate, a swinging gate-body, a knuckle adapted to rotate, said knuckle, in

one of its positions, having a substantially horizontal intermediate portion from which extends a substantially horizontally arranged arm and a substantially Vertical arm, said arms substantially at right angles to said intermediate portion, means for connecting said knuckle with said gate-body, and means for imparting rotatory movements to the knuckle.

3. In a gate, a swinging gate-body, a knuckle adapted to rotate, said knuckle, in one of its positions, having a substantially horizontal intermediate portion from which extend a substantially horizontal arm and a substantially vertical arm, means for connecting the knuckle to the gate-body, an operating lever, and means including a link connecting the knuckle therewith.

In witness whereof I hereto subscribe my name this 16th day of November, 1915.

ALBERT R. COOPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 6.. 

